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Viral Tweet Stokes NCAA Tournament Gender Gap Accusations

College basketball’s most important competition is in full swing. But a tweet by University of Oregon player Sedona Prince is shining light on the inequalities between weight-room facilities for the men’s and women’s teams. Deadspin senior writer and editor Julie DiCaro offers her perspective.

How Chicago’s Faith Communities Are Preparing for Passover and Easter During the Pandemic – Again

For the second year in a row, Chicago’s Jewish and Christian communities are preparing to celebrate Passover and Easter amid the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, that means coming together with friends and loved ones over Zoom. For others, it will be a mix of online worship and in-person celebration.

‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: Albany Park

City’s ‘Hidden Gem’ faces down COVID-19, anti-Asian hate

For the latest in our reporting series, we visit the diverse Northwest Side community to see how it’s supporting Asian American residents amid a rise in anti-Asian rhetoric and violence. 

Ask Geoffrey: GAR Hall at the Chicago Cultural Center

A piece of Civil War history is being restored in one of Chicago’s most well-known public buildings. But what was it doing there in the first place? Geoffrey Baer has the answer.

4th More Transmissible COVID-19 Variant Discovered in Illinois: Officials

Twenty-nine cases of a COVID-19 variant first discovered in Southern California and believed to be more transmissible have been discovered in Illinois, state health officials announced Thursday.

Efforts to Address Health Disparities Can’t Stop in Post-Pandemic World, Experts Say

The pandemic has exposed disparities in access, experts say. A look at the ongoing efforts to make vaccine distribution more equitable and the need to continue those efforts in a post-pandemic world.

Biden Leaves Door Open for Senate Change to Pass Agenda

President Joe Biden at his first news conference Thursday left the door open to pushing for fundamental changes in Senate procedures to muscle key elements of his agenda such as immigration and voting rights past firm Republican opposition “if there’s complete lockdown and chaos.”

No Bail for Chicago Man Charged in Homicide Following SWAT Standoff

Joseph West, 30, was arrested Tuesday afternoon following a standoff with a Chicago police SWAT team at a South Side home. He allegedly admitted that he shot his girlfriend 10 times as she sat in her bed eating McDonald’s.

March 25, 2021 - Full Show

President Biden holds the first formal press conference. We visit Albany Park for our community reporting series. Exploring inequities in women’s sports. Another year of virtual Passover and Easter.

City Eases Restrictions on Outdoor Businesses Amid Increase in COVID-19 Cases, Illnesses

Chicago will not allow businesses to increase their capacity indoors amid an “alarming” increase in COVID-19 cases and illnesses, but they will be allowed to serve more customers outside, officials announced Thursday. “We are seeing a very disturbing trend,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot told reporters.

Illinois Attorney General: Contact Utility Companies Before Shut Off Moratorium Lifts

Starting April 1, state-regulated electric, natural gas and utilities may begin to disconnect customers who haven’t paid their bills, according to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who urged customers to contact their providers if they’re facing financial hardship.

Spend Federal Relief Funds on Direct Aid to Chicagoans, Progressive Groups Tell City Officials

Progressive groups launched a campaign Thursday to ratchet up the pressure on Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago City Council to spend the city’s $1.9 billion share of the latest federal COVID-19 relief package on direct aid to Chicagoans struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Vaccination Race Enlists Grassroots Aides to Fight Mistrust

Top U.S. health officials say they’re in a race to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible as COVID-19 variants spread, mask and distancing rules are relaxed, and Americans crave a return to normalcy.

March 24, 2021 - Full Show

Pritzker gets his COVID-19 vaccine shot. New information on the fallout at Loretto Hospital. Will Chicago workers go back to the office? Parking meters on the lakefront. The dangers of lead water lines.

Chicago Has More Lead Service Pipes Than Any Other US City, Illinois the Most of Any State

Illinois may have as much as a quarter of all lead service pipes in the country, according to U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who is leading the push for a bipartisan infrastructure bill to rebuild the nation’s water systems. We discuss what else is being done to address the issue.

Will Chicago Workers Go Back to the Office in a Post-Pandemic World?

While some people may have gotten used to the comforts of working from home, others may be itching to get out. The stakes for the city couldn’t be higher, especially for the owners and managers of the massive pieces of real estate in the city’s central business district that are still sitting mostly vacant.

CPS Considers Alternatives to School Resource Officers

While several Chicago Public Schools have removed police officers from their buildings, 55 schools still have what are called “school resource officers.” On Wednesday, the school district and five community organizations laid out recommendations for those schools to pursue a more holistic approach to safety.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker Gets COVID-19 Vaccine

“We really do have a fighting chance now to bring this pandemic to an end,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday before receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Springfield.

Embattled Loretto Hospital Executive Resigns Amid Vaccine Scandal

Dr. Anosh Ahmed, COO and CFO of Loretto Hospital, was at the center of multiple controversies over alleged improper vaccination events, after Block Club Chicago first reported on vaccines administered at Trump Tower Chicago to the building’s employees.

Alderman Calls for Equity in Metered Parking Along Lakefront

Metered parking is already in place at lakefront destinations like Rainbow Beach, North Avenue Beach, 31st Street Beach, 63rd Street Beach and Foster Avenue Beach. Now it’s coming to Montrose Harbor — and some residents aren’t happy about it.

US Report: Bald Eagle Populations Soar in Lower 48 States

The number of American bald eagles has quadrupled since 2009, with more than 300,000 birds soaring over the lower 48 states, government scientists said in a report Wednesday.

CPS Chief Education Officer LaTanya McDade Named Superintendent of Virginia School District

LaTanya McDade, the second highest-ranking official within Chicago Public Schools, will leave the district at the end of the current school year after being named superintendent of Prince William County Public Schools in Virginia.

Futuristic ‘Miracle House,’ Once a Raffle Prize, Set to Be Named Chicago Landmark

With a pair of giant steel arms jutting from its frame and a nearly all-glass exterior, Galewood’s “Miracle House” looks as futuristic in 2021 as it did when it was built in 1954. And it has an origin story as quirky as its appearance.

Call to Use COVID-19 Relief Package to Send Chicagoans Cash Triggers Reparations Debate

“These conversations are a slap in the face to people that have suffered great atrocities over time in this country," said Ald. Jason Ervin, the chairman of the City Council Black Caucus.

City Council Approves New Rules for Industrial Developments in Effort to Reduce Air Pollution

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the revised ordinance was “better” than her administration originally proposed and will “put our city on the right track to full ensuring that our residents have clean air, no matter what ZIP code in which they reside.” 

Attorney General Says Lightfoot’s Revised Search Warrant Policy Does Not Go Far Enough

The series of changes proposed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot to the way the Chicago Police Department serves search warrants does not go far enough to prevent mistaken raids, Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced Wednesday. “These ‘wrong raids’ have traumatized innocent people, including children,” he said.
 

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